Nephise: Ascension

About

Nephise: Ascension is the third game in the Nephise series, following the story of a young orb collector lost in Dragons Valley. This first-person "walking simulator" offers extensive exploration, light puzzle and platforming elements, and professional voice narration. The game features a variety of locations with different lighting and weather, providing an immersive and relaxing experience that lasts an hour or more. No prior knowledge of the earlier games is necessary to enjoy this standalone tale.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

79%

Audience ScoreBased on 97 reviews

story13 positive mentions

grinding2 negative mentions

Beautiful graphics and immersive environments that enhance the walking simulator experience.
The game features a more developed storyline and gameplay mechanics compared to previous installments, including light platforming and puzzles.
Relaxing atmosphere with pleasant music, making it a good choice for casual gamers and fans of the genre.

The game is quite short, often completed in under two hours, which may leave players wanting more content.
Some gameplay elements, such as platforming and enemy encounters, feel poorly implemented and detract from the overall relaxing experience.
The character design and narrative elements can be jarring, with a lack of depth in the story and character motivations.

story
53 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
70%
6%
The story in the game has received mixed reviews, with some players appreciating the improved development and backstory of the protagonist, Nephise, while others find it lacking depth and originality, often feeling like a rehash of previous installments. Many reviewers noted that the narrative feels disconnected from gameplay, with tedious collection tasks overshadowing any meaningful storytelling. Overall, while there are moments of beauty and potential, the story is often described as simplistic and uninspired, failing to engage players fully.
- “The game feels more advanced than its predecessor in all regards: the storyline is more developed, graphics use fewer objects yet at the same time they manage to look fantastic, and music is again excellent.”
- “Nephise is a short and simple introduction to the story, Nephise Begins is the next installment very much like the first, and Nephise: Ascension has more story, puzzles, and zones... and a fun ending!”
- “Good storyline and the music is soothing.”
- “But I won't comment any further on this now because if you want to play the game, you'll find out about the story anyway, and if you don't do that, you won't miss anything.”
- “However, there really isn't much of a story here or even anything worthwhile seeing.”
- “There's no real story here and thankfully very little of the pseudo-philosophical babble that this developer is known for.”
music
34 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
68%
24%
9%
The music in the game is widely praised for its beauty and ability to enhance the atmosphere, with many reviewers noting its calming and engaging qualities. However, some players have pointed out issues with repetitiveness and occasional interruptions in the soundtrack during gameplay. Overall, the music is considered a standout feature, contributing significantly to the game's immersive experience.
- “The music was pleasant to listen to while exploring.”
- “Like most of the games in the franchise, Ascension is a very beautiful game, with mesmerizing music and a pretty story.”
- “The wonderful music creates a great atmosphere.”
- “The music was also very repetitive.”
- “The music is repetitive.”
- “The musical themes are 'renaissance' style, varied with chapter, but within each chapter rather monotonous.”
graphics
28 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
57%
32%
11%
The graphics in the game have received mixed reviews, with some players praising the beautiful visuals and aesthetics, while others noted inconsistencies in character design and realism. Many appreciate the game's ability to create an immersive experience without relying on high-end graphics, though some feel that certain elements, like character proportions, detract from the overall quality. Overall, the graphics are generally considered good for an indie title, with a score around 7/10, highlighting both strengths and areas for improvement.
- “The game feels more advanced than its predecessor in all regards: storyline is more developed, graphics use fewer objects yet at the same time they manage to look fantastic, and music is again excellent.”
- “Nephise Ascension is a huge credit to the entire series, 1+ hours to beat, beautiful graphics, fun gameplay, easy puzzles, fine music, it’s a good game to recommend.”
- “The music doesn't wear out its welcome and the graphics are beautiful as always (with proper credit given as always to the makers of the prefab elements used).”
- “Somehow the graphics in this one are worse than the first two.”
- “The developer responded right away and told me to lower my display and graphic setting.”
- “[b] graphics [/b] 3 stars ( [i] some body stuff was very unrealistic movement wise.”
gameplay
25 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
20%
68%
12%
The gameplay in "Nephise: Ascension" is noted for being an improvement over previous titles, incorporating more mechanics such as light platforming, puzzles, and exploration, though it remains largely linear and straightforward. While some players appreciate the added elements and the atmospheric experience, others find the character design and storytelling lacking, leading to mixed feelings about the overall engagement and depth of the gameplay. Overall, it offers a casual experience suitable for players looking for light entertainment, but may not satisfy those seeking more intricate gameplay or narrative depth.
- “This time it incorporates some more gameplay mechanics and even an interesting story.”
- “Nephise: Ascension is a huge credit to the entire series, 1+ hours to beat, beautiful graphics, fun gameplay, easy puzzles, it’s a good game to recommend.”
- “As compared to Tonguç Bodur's other games, Nephise: Ascension steps up the gameplay a notch by adding several platforming/puzzle bits that also come with the challenge of obtaining the speedrun achievements tied to them.”
- “Overall, really good for only paying $1.49; however, I felt like the gameplay was a little bit underwhelming.”
- “The gameplay is actually very linear in most parts—stray from the expected path and you are just met with dead-ends and confusion.”
- “Nevertheless, the 'walking simulator' gameplay of Ascension is effectively flat, because it lacks intriguing storytelling, inner and deep meanings, and metaphors.”
atmosphere
14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
79%
21%
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its stunning visuals, relaxing ambiance, and engaging music, creating an immersive experience for players. While it primarily functions as an atmospheric walking simulator with light puzzles and platforming, some elements, such as unpolished physics and easy challenges, detract from the overall experience. Nonetheless, the enchanting environments and thoughtful design contribute to a peaceful exploration that many players find captivating.
- “This is a stunning walking simulator with a relaxing atmosphere and stunning views.”
- “Great game, especially just for atmosphere and peaceful exploring.”
- “Outside of these temples, you'll find yourself transported in a valley full of flowers and abundant fauna, with weather effects deepening the atmosphere.”
- “The atmosphere feels flat and uninspired, lacking the depth and immersion I was hoping for.”
- “While the game has some interesting elements, the overall atmosphere fails to engage and feels lifeless.”
- “The environments are visually appealing, but the atmosphere doesn't evoke any real sense of wonder or excitement.”
emotional
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by the player's sense of exploration and reliance on memory and narration to navigate vast levels, creating a feeling of vulnerability. The integration of gameplay elements like platforming and puzzles enhances the emotional experience, while the touching story adds depth to the overall journey.
- “It made me feel that I'm exploring blindly, with the only thing guiding me being the small bit of narration. I had to rely on my memory and wits to find my objectives in the vast levels.”
- “Again, translating this touching story was a pleasure for me.”
grinding
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game tedious, particularly due to repetitive tasks like collecting items to progress, which detracts from the overall experience. The exploration often feels aimless, with lengthy wandering in catacombs that seem to serve only to extend gameplay rather than enhance the narrative.
- “I do enjoy walking simulators and I've played quite a few from this developer, but this one seemed even more tedious, especially since there's a quite hard 'find 10 of [insert item]' task that is necessary to progress. The plot was a simple rehash of the same Nephise plot from the last two games. Nephise is still a mystery, and she doesn't know why the orbs give her these powers or what they are. It would be nice to have a progressive plot instead of just collecting items without understanding their significance.”
- “Parts of it involve a lot of tedious wandering in catacombs that serve no other purpose than to pad out the game time.”
replayability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
Users generally find the game's replayability to be low, indicating that it lacks sufficient content or variety to encourage multiple playthroughs.
- “Not much of a replayable experience.”
- “The game lacks incentives to play through again.”
- “Once you've completed it, there's little reason to return.”
optimization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Users have reported experiencing issues with game performance, indicating difficulties in achieving smooth gameplay and seeking advice on optimal settings.